Commenting ahead of the publication of Luis Capoulas Santos MEP's draft report setting out the changes he wants to the Commission's proposals on CAP reform, Liberal Democrat MEP for Scotland George Lyon said:

"I expect my colleague to call for a number of changes that will be of benefit to Scottish farmers.

"In particular, he will want to make 2009-2011 the qualifying period for farmers to receive the new SFP area based entitlements which will help ensure that many farmers are not excluded from the new system just because they did not have an SFP claim in 2011.

"He will also want to give greater flexibility to Member States on moving from historic to area based payments.

"He will limit the huge financial hit some farmers could face under the Commission's plans by setting a maximum reduction of 30% that any individual farmer will face in his new SFP entitlements over the transition period.

"These changes could ease the winners and losers problem identified by Brian Pack in his report.

"On greening, he will move some way towards greater flexibility by allowing farmers in agri-enviroment schemes automatic access to the greening payment but disappointingly he is not likely to go the whole hog and accept the need for a menu of measures and flexibility for Member States to choose the appropriate measures to suit their own farming needs.

"He will also call for tougher capping of farmers SFP payments which highlights the folly of Scotland signing up to the principle of capping which as sure as night follows day the ceilings will gradually be reduced and reduced until it catches out many Scottish farmers who on average have much larger holdings than the rest of Europe.

"The draft reports will be formally presented to our Committee on 18th June. Amendments will be laid by July and final votes in Committee in November.

"That will give the majority on the Committee who want to see menu options and greater flexibility on greening the opportunity to make further changes."